Soil mixes for summer baskets.
madpenguin
Isle of WightPosts: 2,198
I have several hanging baskets and pots with resevoirs that I use each year for the summer.I don't use them in the winter as the resevoir can mean that the soil is much too wet all the time.
I had resevoirs as I am terrible and not a little lazy 
in remembering to water and feed regularly.
Even so this year the baskets and pots dried out quite quickly so for next year I thought I might try something different when planting up.
Firstly I would mix around 1 part JI No.3 to 3 parts multi purpose compost,then add water retaining gel crystals and continuous release plant food (at the correct quantities).
Just wondering if gel crystals in a basket/pot with a resevoir would be OK?
The JI I hope would help if the basket dried out too much but not add too much weight.
Does this sound like a plan or do any of you have any other suggestions?
Posts
My only answer is water daily, I don't believe what ever material used in a basket will survive not watering regularly, it isn't arduous, watering daily, and rejoice in the the pleasure daily viewing gives.
As I say I am not a regular waterer so daily watering is just not on the agenda!!
I am afraid I do find it arduous as my water tap is at the back of the house and baskets / pots mostly at the front,so a bit of a route march for me backwards and forwards and certainly something I would not contemplate every day,once a week maybe...
Think I shall just give my idea a go next year and report back to you all!
No hose pipe ?.
Tap is at the back of the house,the hosepipe is just a faff to get out trail round to the front of the house and I am certainly not doing that everyday which is why I was asking about soil mixes etc for pots.
I aim to water about once a week.
Can't see the baskets surviving on a once a week watering, not matter what mix you have, the same with pots, I use mostly garden soil in pots, but are not left without water more than two days.
My baskets do survive for well over a week without watering as they have reservoirs.
Ideally I would like to water daily but just not an option.
Bit of a late reply but here's my two penneth worth, - why not plant up with plants that will take being dried out - lavenders, succulents like mesembrythiums (spelling?) etc, Mediterranean type plants etc.
Thanks Mark.It is one of the ideas I am toying with! I had a couple of planters this year with succulents,euphorbias etc and they have done very well.In fact they still look pretty good right now with only the euphorbias just going over.
Will experiment with various mixes and plants next year and give the results here!